3.5⭐

Morgan es una organizadora de bodas perfeccionista cuya empresa está al borde de la ruina. Su única esperanza es Olivia, una clienta con una boda enorme que debe organizarse en tan solo noventa días. Lo último que espera Morgan es reencontrarse con Frankie, la fotógrafa del evento… y su exnovia de la adolescencia, quien la dejó hace quince años sin mirar atrás. Frankie, que ahora vive en Nueva York y ha construido una nueva vida con un nuevo nombre y una nueva imagen, ha regresado temporalmente al pueblo para resolver asuntos familiares. Lo que parecía un trabajo más se convierte en una montaña rusa de emociones cuando ambas deben colaborar profesionalmente, obligadas a revivir heridas del pasado mientras se enfrentan a una fuerte atracción que nunca se apagó.


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Siento que al final le faltó algo. Durante todo el libro, Frankie es clara sobre lo que quiere, y sus decisiones, incluso la penúltima es crucial para su carrera están alineadas con su crecimiento profesional. Por eso, el cambio repentino que toma hacia el cierre no encaja del todo con su evolución como personaje. Se siente apresurado, como si se necesitara una resolución feliz, pero sin el desarrollo suficiente para justificarla del todo.


Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest

I enjoyed this novel, and I think that it is the authors best novel to date. I have gotten to enjoy each of the authors novels as an ARC (wow actually, kind of cool) and I can say that I definitely think they are getting better and better with each novel published. Hawkins is a reliable and consistent writer of enjoyable stories that has never left me disappointed. This isn’t quite a favorite novel (it’s a lower-five-stars for me), but I would recommend it as a nice and easy read.

Highlights:
-GREAT ADHD representation. The depiction of ADHD in this novel was very well done and felt incredibly true to life (from my experiences). A lot of people get ADHD wrong or present it like a cartoon stereotype version of the real thing. I don’t know if it was the authors intention or not, but this was a very informative novel as well as entertaining. I could see some readers finding the ADHD content repetitive as it seems to come up constantly and with regards to every aspect of Frankies life, but that is honestly and objectively what ADHD is like so kudos from me.
-Both protagonists were very human, and real-feeling characters. They were flawed but those flaws were reasonable. You could tell that they were working on their personal flaws and issues, but not quite there yet. They were not overly perfect or a disaster caricature, and this made them feel a lot more relatable and accessible for me as a reader.
-Both characters had some very annoying personality traits, however I was able to fully understand and embrace where they were coming from. These were real people. Their history tainted their early interactions in a very understandable way.
-The second-chance element of this novel was handled very well (it often isn’t IMO!). The author struck a good balance between past troubles and present resolutions. It wasn’t perfectly what I wanted, but I have surprisingly specific and demanding standards for second-chance romance apparently, hah!
-Goats as a yard cleanup tool. I follow three such accounts on Instagram and I love this random detail being included in this novel.

Gripes:
-I don’t really love it when the plot dictates that one character will have to give up on their dream in order to be with the other. I understand that its realistic and that in real life there isn’t always a convenient solution where everything works out perfectly, but sometimes that does happen. I understand that life takes a winding road and giving up on one dream doesn’t mean you can’t find another. I understand! I just don’t like it, hah. The messaging that you should sacrifice your life goals to be with your partner and support theirs just never sits quite right with me. Note: this bullet point isn’t suggesting anything specific about the full plot of this novel and isn’t a (quite) a spoiler.
-“On time is late” people annoy me. I’m not holding this against the novel, but I just wanted to complain about Morgan. I am a very punctual person who completely agrees with her that punctuality is a component of respect. That said, I also believe in clear communication and establishment of expectations; if you want someone at a location at a specific time then tell them that time, don’t tell them a different time and then secretly expect them to read your mind about how much you expect them to adjust it to meet your silent expectations.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.

Sometimes you start a book and can just tell it’s not going to work for you. This book was that for me. From the characters, who I just genuinely didn’t care about, to the writing itself, which was primarily telling without enough showing, I just couldn’t find it in me to care. I typically love a second chance but even at 20% I could tell that these two were not going to end up charming me and that I would continue to feel that they were not a good fit for each other, present or past. Pretty disappointed that this one was a flop for me because the premise was such a draw. If I had to rate the percentage I read it would probably be 2-2.5 stars.

What a sweet story! The Ex Effect by Dana Hawkins was emotional. I wanted exactly what Frankie and Morgan wanted... but I had to wait to see if they would do it! I recommend this as a sweet, engaging love story with humor and that extra something that tugs at your heart strings.

‘The Ex Effect’ by Dana Hawkins is a second-chance sapphic romance that beautifully captures the idea of “right person, wrong time.”

Morgan’s life revolves around precision and control. Her wedding planning business is her entire world, and she’s 90 days away from either saving it or losing everything she’s worked so hard for. But when chosen photographer for her most important wedding turns out to be Frankie, her first love and the woman who left her heartbroken 15 years ago, her perfectly organized life starts to unravel.

Frankie, back in town after the loss of her grandmother, wasn’t exactly thrilled to face her ex either, though she had a bit more warning of the meeting than Morgan. What starts as animosity and strictly professional dynamic, quickly catches them both off guard, as old feelings begin to resurface.

It took me a while to really get invested in the story, but once I did, I loved it. The book is filled with emotional depth and sensitivity. It explores mental health, heartbreak, choices and growth. With both MC’s struggles, the book captured exceptionally well, that sometimes even when the person is right, the timing isn’t. Their break-up felt necessary - they both needed time to grow and understand themselves individually. Not only were the characters strong, but the way Morgan’s anxiety and Frankie’s (then undiagnosed) ADHD clashed made their past relationship toxic. The space and time between them was fundamental.

The only downside for me was how long it took me to get into the story. The characters were frustrating at times, especially with their constant back-and-forth that never led anywhere. It took them a while to start communicating, but once that finally happened, I truly started to enjoy it and couldn’t put the book down.

Definitely recommend. The plot was engaging, the pacing was great and never felt forced. Overall, the book ended up being an amazing read.

Great thank you, NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and Dana Hawkins for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. I’m sometimes skeptical of second chance romances, but this one completely won me over. From the first chapters, I was invested in Morgan and Frankie’s stories. Both characters felt so real, and I found myself relating to each of them in different ways. The miscommunication and circumstances that led to their original breakup actually made sense, which made their reunion feel all the more emotional. Watching them reconnect and truly get to know each other as adults and to see how they supported each other and their careers was both heartwarming and heartbreaking; their tenderness had me crying more than once. I also loved the Midwest small-town setting! This book was such a lovely surprise!

Thank you to the publisher for providing a fee ARC of the novel via NetGalley.


4.25 stars. This is the 4th novel I've read by Dana Hawkins and it's my favorite. The quality of writing and plotting gets better and better by each book.

I was waiting for The Ex Effect to be released once its blurb was announced. Second chance and childhood friends to lovers are one of my favorite tropes and this sapphic romance combines them. And the book was worth the wait.

There are some serious topics but overall The Ex Effect is light read. Its really well written and I enjoyed reading it. MCs' pasts are revealed slowly and it keeps the interest alive. Why they broke up? What has happened in the past 15 years?

The main characters broke up at 18 after graduating from high school. It becomes clear that both were really immature and selfish in the past. Now they are 33 with more life experience. But it takes them the summer they are forced to work together to understand and reflect. They are ready to appreciate and understand each other and also realize their own hopes and dreams.

The romance is quite spicy, spiciest of the author's books in my opinion. The tension and buildup towards the intimacy is really well written.

The setting is classic small town with one MC returning temporarily home from the big city. What happens if they get together? Who will move or are they ready to have long distance relationship?

The Ex Effect had a fun premise, and there were definitely some moments I enjoyed. The banter was witty, and the tension between the main characters had potential. I liked the idea of exes being thrown back together, and the second-chance angle had its sweet spots.

That said, I struggled a bit to fully connect with the characters or feel the depth of their chemistry.

Overall, it was a decent read with some charm, just not one that completely swept me away. I’d still try more from Dana Hawkins!

Would I recommend this book to you? Yes

Expected Release Date: 08/19/2025

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the early access. All thoughts in this review are my own.

This book is a great second chance, slow burn Wlw romance. For me, it was a little too slow burn and I stopped enjoying the book 75% of the way through. I enjoyed the character development, Frankie and Morgan had a complicated past to work through and the book is a dual POV. The book itself is quite an easy read, I just personally found it a little too slow!

The Ex Effect is the second book I’ve read by this author. My first one wasn’t a great experience, I blamed a book hangover. However, my experience with this book was much the same, without a book hangover. It’s possible this author’s style just isn’t for me.

This is a second chance romance, our mains split after high school. They are meeting again in their mid-thirties in their hometown. The reason for their split isn’t revealed until fairly late in the story, for a second chance romance way too late. There seems to be no resolution to their story even though they do end up together. Of course this is a spoiler but what do you expect from a second chance romance? Them not ending up together? There is too much reference to the past and how one character hurt the other, from both sides, and it’s all in their own minds. Which is very annoying. There isn’t a lot of talking and actually “adulting” going on. The characters are very one dimensional, the story rather boring and not developing beyond a surface level.

Not a great read for me, but anyone else might like it.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an arc! This was my first Dana Hawkins book and I couldn't put it down.

It felt like there was so much more in this book than just a second chance. Their past wasn't just brushed over or ignored which I loved and I really liked reading about Morgan's journey understanding her ADHD and how it affected her life. There was so much emotional growth between these two and their chemistry was incredible. I loved every moment of it!

I am woefully behind on Hawkins’ Single in Seattle series, but I loved Not in the Plan. When I saw that her next series is Meet Cute in Minnesota, I screamed. A series of sapphic novels set in my beloved home state?!
TAKE MY MONEY!!

Though the premise is interesting and the story is well written, I really struggled with liking both of the FMCs in The Ex Effect. Frankie and Morgan dated as teenagers, then broke up abruptly at their high school graduation, both feeling like the other abandoned them as they moved on to their post-high school dreams. Now they’re stuck working together to pull off a client/friend’s wedding in 90 days.

Given that Frankie and Morgan are total opposites, it wasn’t clear what drew them together in the first place. They were both so intolerant of each other... I couldn’t picture them actually happy together as (even more) emotionally-charged teenagers, and didn’t find much to like about them together as adults either. I enjoyed the plot overall, but these two characters just don’t make a strong couple as far as I can see.

I’m looking forward to reading the next books in this series with some different, hopefully better-suited FMCs.

Giving this 3.5 stars. It's a pretty standard sapphic romance that reads like the plot of a Hallmark movie. That's not a bad thing, necessarily - I actually enjoy a good Hallmark movie - but it's not going to be something that appeals to everyone. If you're looking for the comfort of a predictable plot and a happy ending (and with lesbians), this could be for you.

I do appreciate that the miscommunication trope isn't overused here. It pops up occasionally - particularly when discussing the main characters' teenage break-up - but the miscommunication is usually resolved quickly. Which, thank god, because I can't stand that trope.

I also really like the ADHD rep. As an autistic ADHDer myself, it's always great to see adult women with experiences I can relate to.

Overall, if you're like me and enjoy a light sapphic romance now and then, give this book a try.

4.25 stars ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and Dana Hawkins for the opportunity to read this ARC!

The Ex Effect is written from the POVs of Morgan and Frankie. They were together in high school, but broke up after it become clear that they had very different visions for their futures. Years later they are brought back together to work on a wedding. Morgan is a wedding planner and has no idea that the photographer that got chosen for a last minute wedding is indeed Frankie. The wedding turns out to be an all hands on deck event as Morgan has to put it together in 90 days. Frankie gets roped in and as they spend more & more time together, will sparks start to fly again?

This is my second ARC I’ve read by Dana Hawkins, and yet again, it did not disappoint! It claims to be a “completely addictive lesbian romance”, and man are they right! I’ve been slower reading books recently, but I read this one in two days! This book is so well written. The plot and characters had me hooked. 💕 I definitely recommend checking this one out!

The Ex Effect will be available to read on August 19th! 💜

First, I want to thank Netgalley and Storm Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read The Ex Effect by Dana Hawkins. This review is solely of my own opinion.

When I saw that Dana Hawkins was coming out with a new series, I was so excited. I loved her Single in Seattle series, so I was excited to see she had a new one coming out.

This book takes place in Minnesota and follows Morgan, a homegrown wedding planner and Frankie who fled their hometown as soon as she could. Morgan runs a wedding planning business and is feeling the struggle since a big box wedding company moved in. She agrees to take accept a wedding and produce an outcome in just 90 days. Frankie is hired directly by the couple to be their photographer. She wants nothing more than never to return to her hometown but goes back because she feels obligated to the couple.

Morgan is surprised to find out that Frankie has been hired as the photographer. Frankie and Morgan were best friends growing up and then started dating in high school. They broke up on graduation night, and neither had seen or spoken to each other until this wedding. Sparks and tempers fly throughout the story.

I gave this story 4.75 and definitely recommend giving it a read. It was fantastic. I can't wait until it's released next month!

Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Spice: 🌶️/5

This was my first book by Dana Hawkins and I enjoyed this small town, second chance romance. The Ex Effect is sweet, with plenty of tension, and will have you feeling a gamut of emotions as you learn about the main characters’ past and how deep their love runs for one another.

✨Second Chance Romance
❤️‍🔥Enemies to Lovers
🏠Return to Hometown
✨ADHD & Anxiety Rep
💕Forced Proximity
🔥Slow Burn Tension
✨Sweet & 🌶️Steamy

🥂Step 1: Plan the Perfect Wedding

📸Step 2: Ignore the Perfect Ex

Morgan Rose has always had her life planned out – she’s on time if she’s 10 minutes early, she has color-coded and tabbed binders with backup plans for backup plans, and a wedding business that’s her entire world. Morgan has never let anything derail her organized life…except her. She’s the only person who has ever been able to alter her plans and shatter her heart, and Morgan doesn’t think about her anymore.

Now? Morgan is trying to make the impossible happen in just 90 days – she’s pulling out all the stops for this client’s wedding to save her business. And when she thinks the photographer, Frankie, she’s meeting is a ‘he’ and it turns out it’s her ex instead? Well, Frankie is most definitely sending Morgan’s life into a spiral with her infuriatingly good looks, new haircut and that muscular body hidden underneath her motorcycle gear.

Being forced to work together, it’s evident that Frankie and Morgan don’t know one another like they used to – a lot can happen in 15 years. But, some sparks never die, and as the wedding approaches? The tension between Morgan and Frankie grows and they’re forced to confront their past. Will the mistakes in their youth that pulled them apart be dealt with, or is history going to repeat itself?

I enjoyed the mental health representation, as both Morgan and Frankie had their own, different struggles. When each of the MCs shared those struggles, it helped each woman understand one another and their actions. Frankie and Morgan’s love story was one that was worth fighting for, as neither woman was ever able to let the other go – even when life and finding their paths took them in two different directions. It was clear that their feelings and hurt ran deep, and their road to a HEA was messy, flawed, and relatable, as life can be that way too.

If you enjoy a second chance romance with a messy path toward a hard-won HEA, then this is the book for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and author Dana Hawkins for providing me with the eARC of “The Ex Effect”, in exchange for an honest review! All thoughts are my own!

3.5 stars - The Ex Effect was an enjoyable read, from the three dimensional characters to homely small-town setting.

While the connection between Morgan and Frankie was convincing and palpable by the end of the story, I felt that throughout most of the book, it was difficult to see where their connection was moving from enemies (bitter exes) to lovers.

That being said, I loved the overall plot and the way the characters were written and developed provided the feeling of familiarity for the reader.

This is a sweet and slightly spicy second-chance romance packed with some of my favorite tropes—forced proximity, childhood sweethearts, and a dash of enemies-to-lovers. Morgan and Frankie were each other’s first big love, but life (and some tough choices) pulled them apart. Now, years later, they’re thrown back together planning a wedding, and the sparks start flying all over again. The dual POV really works here, letting us see both the lingering feelings and the pain from the past, and Frankie’s journey with ADHD adds some real depth and heart to the story.

Loved the chemistry between them and the banter was great, but I do wish a few scenes had gone a bit deeper instead of being skipped over or told in hindsight. And while the ending didn’t totally hit the mark for me—especially after all the growth Frankie went through—I still really enjoyed the ride. This is a fun, heartfelt read about learning from your past, figuring out who you are, and maybe getting a second shot at the one who got away. Definitely worth picking up if you’re into WLW romances with a mix of angst, sweetness, and emotional payoff.

Special thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Dana Hawkins for an ARC for my honest review.

The Ex Effect was a fun and engaging second chance romance set small town USA. This was my first book by Dana Hawkins and I feel she kept my attention and I will certainly look for more by this author. I love second chance romances where the couple had a real love cut short by life & circumstances, especially if it’s a high school romance. That’s exactly what this was!

Morgan and Frankie had a sweet and intense high school love that was promptly extinguished once life doused them with its complicated waters. Now, 15 years (and practically an entire lifetime) later they are thrust back together but in a professional capacity. Morgan’s wedding planning business is struggling, to say the least. She is a type A perfectionist and despite this she can’t seem to make a successful wedding planning career. Her current wedding project must go off without a hitch if she’s to keep her business. Frankie is a talented photographer who agrees to work the wedding. And thus the drama ensues!

Morgan and Frankie are equal parts shocked, excited, fearful and annoyed at having to work together. Although, their attraction and chemistry bubbles to surface sooner than later! I really enjoyed the pacing of this book. Although most second chance romances have a “will they or won’t they” aspect, it often drags out too long. I felt the two were able to hash it out, so to speak, at a believable point in the story.

It was refreshing to read about people growing into better versions of themselves. While Morgan & Frankie were separated by life they both grew up. But Frankie had the difficult obstacle of being diagnosed with, treating, living and ultimately thriving with a mental health condition. In high school her undiagnosed ADHD was like bulldozer just smashing its way through her life. But she’s done the work & in adulthood, she is a strong, resilient badass!

The feelings and physical attraction are there for both Morgan and Frank. Honestly, after all these years, they never really got over each other. This wedding project is the time for reckoning and they both recognize they are better together. Though… it is quite the journey to get there. I appreciated that their connection was so real and I found myself rooting for them early on.

The Ex Effect was a sweet, slightly spicy, angsty, charming and deeply rewarding second chance wlw story and I definitely enjoyed it. It will thoroughly entertain you and I certainly recommend it. Will definitely keep an eye out for more from Hawkins & Storm publishing!

I really loved both Frankie and Morgan, and I'm always a fan of the forced proximity trope in romance. I feel like they both had their own distinct personalities, which sometimes can be missing in romance novels, and they had their own passions and goals. Watching them work together and learn to communicate was a fun part of the book.
However, I wasn't a huge fan of the ending. While I like a happily ever after ending, this just didn't quite feel believable as a happily ever after for both Morgan and Frankie.
Rating: 3.75/5, rounded to 4/5
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!